Maybe it’s because my own children came to us at an older age, or maybe because my husband & I have different color skin than two of our children, but adoption is a topic we discuss openly and freely. It comes up in natural, conversations that we have with each other and other people. It’s something that is part of our life and “just is”, know what I mean?
Forever Parents
In 2002, I began to chronicle my adoption journey by creating Forever Parents, a supportive online community for adoptive and waiting parents.
Over the next year, we grew our support forums to include an adoption shop and a collaborative blog. Forever Parents stayed active for over ten years, helping thousands of people during that time. Currently, I'm in the process of updating and moving all the blog posts here where they will be housed under the Forever Parents category. In 2012 I adopted my two young grandchildren so you'll see updated posts under this topic.
How Extended Family Helps Adopted Kids
Because my children were adopted at an older age (5, 8 and 11), family has extra special meaning to them, especially extended family. They enjoy meeting second and third cousins because it gives them a sense of connection to a whole other side of their family. They get a feeling of being part of something larger than just our immediate family.
Adopted And Proud Of It
My nine-year-old daughter love to be creative. She’s always making or remaking something, sometimes with my help, sometimes on her own. She decided she wanted to make a t-shirt using some of the fabric paint we have. I dug out a white t-shirt for her and she asked me to trace, in pencil, what she wanted to write.
Support From Family And Friends While Adopting
We were very lucky that our family and friends were very supportive when we were going through our adoption. It really helped us to know the people in our life were behind our choice and they were very interested in the process.
I know others don’t always have the support they need or want so I asked the members at our adoption forums for their thoughts.
Ocala Star-Banner Adoption Article Featuring Our Family
Article published July 10, 2005 in the Ocala Star Banner. Joanne and her husband Billy wanted children, but Joanne was in her 30s when they married and did not want to go through a slew of immediate pregnancies. So, they began looking into adopting. When a counselor suggested that they consider adopting a group of siblings, they decided that is what they wanted to do.
Adoption Poems For Families
Any of these poems would be a great addition to an adoption life book or framed and hung on a wall in your home.